Facebook Rolls Out App Center To Attract Mobile Users

MENLO PARK, CA - FEBRUARY 01: A sign with the 'like' symbol stands in front of the Facebook headquarters on February 1, 2012 in Menlo Park, California. Facebook is expected to file for its first initial public offering today seeking to raise at least $5 billion. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The social network unveiled its mobile App Center Thursday night at a launch party in San Francisco. It was Facebook’s first big announcement since its IPO last month.

The new app store revs up efforts to improve its mobile business with games and other social media tools. The app center is designed to offer an experience personalized for each of its 900 million users, with app recommendations based on the apps they and their friends use. It features more than 600 apps including Pinterest, Draw Something, Nike+ GPS, Words with Friends, Instagram, Soundcloud, and Spotify.

The App Center is available on mobile devices via the Facebook apps for iOS and Android or by through Facebook.com When you select an app you like, you’ll be sent to Apple’s App Store or Google’s, depending on your device. And charges do apply.

It will only go live for between 6 and 8 percent of users, so most of us will have to wait before checking out the app center. But fear not, Facebook will be rolling it out to all users in the coming weeks.

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Melony Roy is the social media editor for KYW Newsradio 1060, supervising the station’s Twitter, Facebook, and other interactive media branding efforts.
In addition to creating much of the interactive content on KYW’s social media platforms, Ro...